Machine for tagging plug-tobacco



(No Model.)

N. B. HI EATT -& E. R. HEARN. MACHINE FOR TAGGING PLUG TOBACCO.

No. 269,788. Patented Dec. 26, 18 82.

ZJAL Z 1' N PETERS. PhnNUlM/gnphm. Washington. D. C.

NAPOLEON B. HIEATT AND EDWIN R. HEARN, OF'JERSEY CITY, NEXV JERSEYMACHINE FOR TAGGING PLUG-=TOBACCO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,788, dated December26, 1882,

Application filed October 21, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, N. B. HIEATT and ED- WINR. HEARN, of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson, in the State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and nsefulImprovcments in Machines forTagging Plug-Tobacco, of which the following is a specification.

The invention is of a class adapted to attach a series of smallindependent tags of metal or other suitable material in a row extendingalong one of the faces of the plug, and also to attach along piece oftin-foil or analogous material, termed a ribbon, to lie between the tagsand the tobacco. The tags have claws, which, being pressed into thetobacco, attach themselves and also the ribbon. By making the ribbonadhesive, with gum-arabic or other suitable material, the ribbon can bemade to adhere directly to the tobacco, in addition to the fasteningeffected by the small tags, provided the ribbon can be pressed properlyagainst the tobacco, while its surface is adhesive in the act of taggitlg. Our machine presses the entire ribbon firmly against the tobaccoin the act of affixing it. A series of equidistant posts are planted ina fixed base. A ribbonpiece, of a length and breadth corresponding to aribb0n,is bored with holes corresponding to the posts,and fittedlooselythereon. Amovable platform istitted loosely around thisribbon-piece and held up by gentle springs, lifting the ribbon-piecewith it. Then the parts are up, the top of the ribbon piece is a littlebelow the top of the platform and a little above the tops of the severalposts. When, afterplacing the tags and the properly-gummed ribbon inposition, a plug of tobacco is placed on the platform and depressed,stops arrest the descent ofthe ribbon-piece, and other stops arrest thedescent of the platform; but the stops for the platform act later, sothat when the tobacco is fully depressed the upper surface of the threeparLs-J-the platform, the ribbon-piece,and the postsare all broughteven, and the tags and all parts of the ribbon are pressed firmly upagainst the tobacco. When the parts are allowed to rise again, theribbonpiece is liable to jam in the platform, and to tend to be liftedtherewith to too great aheight. We provide stops, which arrest theascent of the ribbon piece at the right point under all circumstances.These stops also perform an important function in preventing theribbonpiece from falling out when the machine is reversed for cleaningor for any other purpose.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification, andrepresent what we c0nsider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure l is a plan view. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line RRin Fig. 1. This shows the machine with the parts in the elevatedcondition. A plug of tobacco is indicated in position ready to bedepressed and receive the ribbon and tags. The remaining figures arecross-sections,showing the machine in two conditions. Figs. 3 and 4 aresections on the line S S in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 3shows the parts in theelevated condition, in which they receive the tags and ribbon, and Fig.4:

shows them in the depressed condition, into which they are brought inthe act of tagging. Figs. 5 and 6 are sections on .the line T T in Figs.1 and 2. Fig. 5 shows the p arts in the elevated position, and Fig. 6 inthe depressed.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A is the foundation or base board, and a a are a series of posts equallyspaced thereon.

D is the movable platform, formed with a slot corresponding in width tothe width of the ribbons to be applied, and o'f-a length a littlegreater than such ribbons. Gross-pieces I), screwed or otherwise fixedon the lower face of the platform B, extend across the bottom of theslot and support a ribbon-piece, E, of wood or other suitable material.This ribbon-piece E is of a little less thickness than the platform, andis provided with holes, which match loosely upon the posts a.

The uprights A A are planted in the ends of the base, and are receivedin recesses in the ends of the platform, so that they aid in guiding thelatter. These posts support crosspieces a a which prevent the platformfrom rising too high.

O O are springs, abutting on the base A, and pressing upward against thecross-pieces b, so as to lift the cross-pieces l) with the platform Band the loose ribbon-piece E with gentle force. The springs 0 force theplatform up until it is arrested by the stops a a LII B is a gage,standing along the edge of the platform B.

B is a removable piece, secured by fastenings adapted to allow itsremoval when desired to tag wider plugs of tobacco.

B is an end-gage. secured to the platform B by screws B standing inslots in the gage. This may be adjusted to the right and left with anydegree of nicety. This serves to gage the position of the plug oftobacco longitudinally. It also gages the position of the ribbon.

Transversepieces of board D stand on edge on the base A,and performimportant function Certain portions of each are designated by additionalmarks of reference, as D D D The surface D is highest, and supports afixed table, G. The surface D islower, and s rves as a stop to arrestthe descent of the rinbmt-piet-e E. The surfaces D 1) are lower still,and serve as stops to arrest the descent of the movable platform P. Ineach upright. board I), under the surfaces D we bore a vertical hole.The upper part of this hole is of less diameter than the lower part. Inthe ribbon-piece E are set two screws, 6. The shank of each screw isreceived loosely in the small portion, and the head is received in thelarge portion of such hole. Each screw is adjusted so that its headcomes to a bearing against the surface I) when the movable platform Band the ribbon-piece E have risen to their full proper height.Thesurfaces Dfl acting against the heads of the screws 6, serve as stopsto prevent the ribbon-piece E from eit her falling out when themachineis reversed, or from being carried up too far by any slight adhesion tothe platform.

M is the tobacco, m the ribbon, and N the independent tags.

To operate the machine,thetagsNare placed face downward, one on the topof each post a. Then the ribbon m, previously coated on its back withgnnrarabic or other suitable adhesive material, is placed face downwardon the ribbon-piece E. Then the plug of tobacco M is applied in theproper position, resting on the movable platform B each side of theribbonpiece, and is pressed by the operator strongly downward. The firsteffect is to depress both B and E. Soon the ribbon-piece E is arrestedby its stops D but the tobacco and the plattorm continue to movedownward. When the platform is finally arrested by its stops D the uppersurface of the platform B, ribbon-piece E, and posts a are all even.

In this condition the ribbon-pieceE presses the ribbon firmly againstthe tobacco, and the posts press the several independent tags firmlyagainsttheribbornandforcetheirclawsthrough the ribbon into the tobacco.It follows that the ribbon on and the independent tags N are firmlyattached to the tobacco M. On again lifting the plug of tobacco theparts rise again by the action of the springs C to their originalpositions. Toward the close of the rising motion the strip E is arrestedby the contact of the heads of the screws 6 with the surfaces I), andthe platform B is arrested by the transverse pieces a a In case therehas been any slight adhesion between the sides of the ribbon-piece E andthe adjacent surfaces of the platform sufficient to overcome its gravityand prevent it from dropping, so as to bring its upper surface to theproper extent below the upper surface of the platform, the contact ofthe screw-heads against the surfaces or stops D will occur earlier, andwill overcome the adhesion and hold the ribbon-piece Ein its properposition, while the platform will continue to rise by the force of itssprings U and compel the proper relation of the parts ready to receivethe ribbon. This insures its proper position without requiring it to bedepressed by the fingers under any circumstances.

Modifications may be made in the details. Parts of the invention can beused without the whole. \Ve can employ a greater or less number of postsa, taking care that they should be always properly spaced. and that theribbonpiece E should be correspondinglyformed. \Ve prefer that thesprings 0 shall be each coiled around a post, a; but this is notabsolutely necessary.

\Ve claim as our invention- 1. In a machine for tagging plug-tobacco,the movable platform B l), ribbon-piece E, and posts a, in combinationwith each other and with the stops D arranged to arrest the descent ofthe ribbon-piece E before the platform comes to rest and to press theribbon firmly against the tobacco when the machine is worked,substantially as herein specified.

2. In a machine for tagging plug-tobacco, the movable platform B b,ribbon-piece E, and posts a, in combination with each other and with thestops D to arrest the descent of the strip E, and with the stops D e toarrest the ascent of the strip E, arranged for joint operation,substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands at Jersey City, NewJersey, this 19th day of October, 1582, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

N. I. HIEATT. EDWIN B. HEARS.

Witnesses t THOMAS 0. WEST, GEO. W. BARR.

